Improvement in fences



anatema parte apta Naw YORK,

L eaer V:atea-1ro. 110,888, aaaaiuary 1o, 1871.

-hlWlPRCVEMvENT-IN FENCES.

The Schedule referred to in these vlet-ters Patent: and making part of the same.

ends distended and hinged to short stakes which are driven into the ground at such an angle from the li-ne ofthe braces as to prevent them from being -pulled out by thestrain on the latter.

Such a construction is shown in the LettersPatent granted to Belus Oalkins and Veranous Galkins, April 2, 1867.

Another patent, granted November 26, 1867, to J. M. Clark, shows similar braces with their upper ends secured to vertical supporting posts vinstead of being hinged together.

Both of these devices require some means other than the braces for supporting the fence and retaining the bottom thereot against lateral displacement, which are expensive, besides being otherwise objectionable.

. Our invention consists- First,ln arranging with a fence two brace-bars hinged together at such a distance below their upper ends as to cause the latter, when the bars are distended, to cross 'each other and form a support for the fence, which is suspended in the angle formed thereof, above the hinge, while the angle below rests on the fence or a board thereby, so asto retain it to the ground, both combining to hold the fence vertical or against lateral tipping, whereby the necessity for any other support or foundation for the fence is avoided.

Second, inthe arrangement of two or more pairs of said brace-bars'with the bars cf one pair of less length than those of the other, so that they will connect with and support the fence at dilferent heights, whereby the latter'is held more securely agaiustlateral displacement.

In the accompanying drawing- Figure I is an elevation, and

Figines II and III, vertical cross-sections, respect ively, on lines x :t and y y of our improved fence.

vv forth between She distended braces.

Like letters refer-to like partsjin each of the iigures.

AArepresent-sa section of a board'fence, constructed of strips, a a, crossing .each other` obliquely b the point at which they are hinged together near I the top and b th'e ends-ofi' braces, which project above said hinge b.

B B', iig. III, represent a pair of braces lwith the bars ofshorter ylength than B B. y

The-lower braces B arearranged with their upper ends crossing each. other in one of the upper diamond spaces of the fence, when the bases are brought together until the brace-bars above and below the hinge b, are brought in contact with the crossed pieces' of the fence at the upper and lower angles of the opening, so as to hold the fence at these two points when the stakes are driven into the ground, as shown in the drawing. 1

The fence is thus supported in the upper angle of thevbars at the requisite distance above the ground,

while the lower one holds it down, and at the same time serves to prevent it from tipping to either side.

Byemploying shorter braces "and arranging them iu'one ot th'e lower openings of the fence, as shown in tig. III, the fence will be supported at both top and bottom, and be thus firmly secured at both points against lateral displacement.

This construction and arrangement of the braces enable ns to dispense with the use of posts or other extra foundation support and the labor involved in setting or arranging them in place.

Where the post or'oth'er foundation support for the fence is independent of the braces which sustain it laterally, as shown in the .Calkins .patent above re- 'fcrred to, the base-post and fence is liable to settle vaway from the saddle or angle formed by the hinged braces at their upper ends, and consequently leave the upper edge of the fence free to sway .back and Our arrangement, (the same bars4 performing both the functions of a lateral brace and a vertical support), is evidently free from the above objection, as the settling of the stakes which hold the. braces in place does not operate to loosen the between the braces and the-fence.

connectien Y It is evident that our improved means of support may be` employed not only with lattice fences,i as

` above described; but with fences of other` construcvtou which have a suitable space or opening, with an upper and 'lower bearing Vforthe two angles of the bracesto engage with.

What we claim, is- A 1. The combination of the .stakes O with -the bi1 ged brace-bars B B, 'and fence A, so arranged that the driving of said stakes will' cause the bars B B, to firmly clamp the fence-bars, as hereiubefore specified.

` '2. The combination with the fence A' ofthe short braces B'B'and long braces B B, arranged in the manner and for the purpose hereinbefore specified.

` O. M. BALLARD. j

'MYRON MOREHOUSE,

Witnesses:

JACOB HAGER, LAURANIA A. HAGER. 

